22 September 2014
Police able to pinpoint original location
Police say they have nothing new to report in the case of the pipe bomb found near 22nd street last week.
Lt. John Pitcher said officers were able to contact the woman who found the bomb while walking her dog Thursday afternoon. Pitcher said an employee at the nearby Oceanside Veterinary Clinic also saw the device that was made from a five inch piece of metal pipe with caps on either end.
With that information, police were able to pinpoint where the bomb was found, but were unable to glean any additional evidence on who may have assembled it and why it was left where it was.
Pitcher said it was “very concerning” to find it within two blocks of the Elementary School in a spot where kids frequently pass by.
Pitcher said they’ve been unable to determine whether or not the bomb was intentionally placed there, and if so, just why.
City Manager search nearing end?
A background check on the prospective new City Manager for Florence is still underway. Mayor Nola Xavier said Friday that contract negotiations are proceeding with an agreement expected to be reached sometime this week.
The City Council extended an offer of employment to the finalist; whose name has not been released; last week following a weekend of interviews with six candidates.
Xavier said the background check would be extensive and could take two weeks.
She hoped to have an announcement later this week.
Driver in fiery fatal crash identified
Oregon State Police have released the identity of the person who died last week when an eastbound Honda Accord left Highway 126 and caught fire 36 miles east of Florence.
49-year old Lance Matthew Hose of Eugene was attempting to negotiate a left curve on Badger Mountain when the car left the highway, struck a tree and caught fire.
The resulting blaze burned about three-quarters of an acre.
Troopers say they still don’t know what caused Hose’s car to leave the road.
Reedsport boat builder moving and expanding
Fred Wahl Marine Construction has been located on the waterfront in Reedsport for 25 years. Now the builder of large commercial fishing vessels and tugboats may be moving…
But only across the river.
The company has reportedly reached an agreement to purchase more than 30-acres of industrial property on Bolen Island that was formerly occupied by American Bridge.
American Bridge, based in Pennsylvania, closed their doors last year after more than 100 years of building major highway and railroad bridges.
Fred Wahl Marine currently employs about 80 people in Reedsport, the move will allow them to expand their operations and add about 30 more jobs.
